Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Vegan Lunch Box Accessories Kits

I love all the little napkins, containers, and toys I've been using lately in our lunch boxes. I thought some of you might want to join in the fun, so I've put together a selection of Lunch Box Accessories Kits for sale!

First, each kit will feature one of these 2.5 ounce stainless steel ramekins with a plastic lid. The ramekins will fit inside a Laptop Lunch System or a To-Go Ware container. They are perfect for holding dips, dressings, nuts or small treats. I can't imagine using my stainless steel lunch boxes without them.

Each kit will also include two or more little Lunch Box Napkins, sewn by yours truly. I've been digging through my fabric stash for the last two weeks, sewing up a huge assortment of napkins in all styles and colors, from the demure to the fun and colorful (I went a little crazy on this, so there are many more than what's pictured above).

Finally, as you can see from this picture, my "Lunch Box Toys" drawer is getting rather, well, STUFFED. In the spirit of Spring Cleaning I would be happy to throw in a random toy or two with each order. There are decorative paper and plastic liner cups to hold food and divide larger containers into smaller segments, small plastic containers, party picks and skewers, lunch box notes, soy sauce/dressing squeeze bottles, and more.

Order through PayPal by selecting the "Buy Now" button below. Important: when you place your order you will see a text note field that asks "What's Your Lunch Box Style?" Use this space to tell me anything that will help me choose the right napkins/toys for your order. For example, what kind of lunch box do you use? Is this for a little girl who loves pink, a boy who likes pirates, or a grown-up who likes sock monkeys? Are there any colors you really can't stand? Do you eat with chopsticks? Do you prefer something nondescript? Tell me all about it!

Ooh, I think this will be fun! Supplies are limited, so order quickly before they're all gone.

Awesome! I've been a lurker for a while and I know my stepson would love some of that stuff.

I do have a completely unrelated question to your post though. I am currently a meat eater (I know don't shoot me) purely out of convenience. For breakfast and lunch when I only have to feed me, I eat vegetarian bordering on vegan. I want to make a permanent switch to veggie and encourage my husband and stepson (when we have him during the week) to do the same or at least believe in the change I am trying to make.

Are there any books that support a veggie lifestyle that aren't written by super advocates of the veggie lifestyle? My husband thinks all of the facts online from veggie sites are crap b/c of course you would defend and support your lifestyle. I'm tired of his eye rolling and scoffs. I need books by dietitians that don't necessarily only support vegetarians or vegans, doctors, etc etc. Can you help me? Thanks!

Hey Jordan, Just a couple of thoughts about your comments...It's difficult to convince a meat eater to become veg, but you can convince a meat eater of the benefits of eating lower on the food chain and being more aware of the impact of ones diet on the body and the planet.The new (USDA) food pyramid that came out in the past year strongly supports a diet based more on fruits, vegetables, plants and grains, and less on meat, cheese and dairy.The American Dietetic Association also recommends a plant based diet and can provide information on making sure you and your family eat a well balanced (plant based diet).Some other sources of information for your skeptical husband...Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (check the web site) and the magazine Veg News. Both provide a lot of information from "legitimate" sources and studies which support this lifestyle.Good Luck and Keep the Faith!

jordan, you may want to check out dr. furhman's _Eat to Live_ program, he has a blog connected to it at www.diseaseproof.com. I recommend it mainly b/c his program doesn't go against eating meat but he does strongly recommend that the majority of your calories come from plant-based sources and that you avoid white flour, salt, and processed foods. I've found the blog very informative and really useful.

Thank you guys so much! I'm going to gather up the information, not just for him but for my knowledge as well, and hopefully I can at least get him to support me. Meat has never been a big deal to me and I have always been a little grossed out by the thought of where it comes from. I'm just ready to make a change.

Jordan,I went veg after taking a class through something called the Cancer Project they are supported by the Physicans for Responsible Medicine's Class. In the classes they gave several medically supported facts about how being a vegan reduces ones risk for cancer and other diseases. Also, I'm a vegan and my husband isn't. This is a choice I made for me-- that he respects. I would encourage you to do this for yourself, it's well worth it.

I bought some of the metal ramekins from Target and had the same problem you mentioned with the lids. I found some other metal ramekins with more substantial lids at Cost Plus (or it may have been Linens and Things). You might check at either of those places.

I found your blog today and I totally love it. I myself am a vegetarian, and totally fell in love with the lunch box thing, because I have to take my own lunch when I go to work. You got me inspired to try new things. Thanks :)

love your site! i only wish i would have discovered it earlier, (i am almost finished with dei vouring the archives)i found this blog from veganfreaks. it is so inspirational, especially because my 3yr is too picky. i am have been a vegan for 15+years found myself in a recipe rut, with occassional experiments. my husband, too, is an omnivore. we agreed to raise our son a vegetarian, but now he has been offering dead animals to him. thankfully, my little cub does not eat the stuff, (except fishsticks that were introduce 2 weeks ago when i napping) and thankfully i am the sole chef in the house; nothing unvegetarian is prepared in my kitchen. your lunch ideas revved up the drive in me to introduce new meals at the table...and in the lunchbox, (that will soon be replaced by laptop lunches(thank you for that link too!))

:( i should have acted sooner on the accessories kit before they sold out.

My first post is lost in cyber space, if it turns up and this becomes a duplicate then I apologize.

Jordon,

I don't know that you can convince someone to change the way they eat if they aren't open to doing so. Sometimes I think the best thing to do is not to talk about it--just cook.

If DH laments his non meat meal tell him you'd like to have a few vegetarian meals during the week; sometimes the word vegan is scary to people and vegetarian is much gentler. Who's going to scoff at a great bean and rice burrito for dinner and maybe for now you give him and your step son some veggie cheese even if it has some casein in it as to not make the burritos so foriegn.

I also recommend Vegan Family Favorites which have some great recipes that are easy and not to weird.

This will be a slow process but if you are the chief cook and take their likes and dislikes into account then eventually there will be some positive change made. You also don't have to volunteer information. I've learned this with my extended family who doesn't understand how we eat. If I tell them it's chocolate mousse made with tofu and maple syrup they will not even try it but if I just put the chocolate pie on the table it gets devoured. If someone asks I don't lie but I don't offer information.

Oh darn it! I am to late! I would love if you were able to offer this again, my husband and I both use a three tiered lunch container just like the one you are showing. Please keep us posted if you are able to offer it again!

Where did you get those stainless steel ramekins? I totally need some! I just ordered a few lunch containers to have fun using while we're biking all around town this summer, and those are all I'm missing. :)

I just wanted to say that I've been reading your blog for a while (LOVE it) and just purchased your book! I go home every day for lunch, so I don't need to worry about the lunch packing as much, but my secret goal is to get my husband to start eating food from home at lunch instead of going out to eat!

Thanks, Jennifer! My package arrived yesterday and my daughter is very excited about the pretty napkins. She also wanted me to give her something that needed the little squirt bottle! I am looking forward to trying out the fun little things- thanks again!

Hooray, mine came today! Polka dots, polka dots, and more polka dots. I haven't been this happy about polka dots since many years ago when my favorite book was that silly kids book, "Put Me in the Zoo." You know the one I mean. :)

Jordan -- You could also try reading The Omnivore's Dilemma, by Michael Pollan (and then passing it on to your husband). The author doesn't advocate vegetarianism -- in one chapter, he wrestles with it and decides it's not for him -- but he does make a lot of good arguments for eating less meat, and for generally thinking about where your food comes from. It's an eye-opening book.

Oh man - for some reason Bloglines stopped giving me your updates - I would have loved a set for my Laptop Lunchbox. I'm glad to hear the containers might be found at Costplus, because the little sauce containers from the Lunchbox just crack after a few uses.

I don't know of a source for just the lids. I bought these ramekins at Target and they came with lids, but most of the little ramekins I see don't come with lids. I guess you could try covering them with plastic wrap held on with a rubber band?